Xfinity Series racing at Auto Club postponed until Sunday due to rain

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: A detail view of the scoring tower as snowfalls at the track after a weather cancellation of practice and qualifying for the Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway on February 25, 2023 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
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NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Auto Club Speedway has been postponed until 8pm ET on Sunday.

The race was scheduled for 5pm ET, which is 2pm local time, but the cars were ultimately fired over an hour later at 6:07 following extensive track drying from the snowfall earlier in the day. However, after a few pace laps, the skies opened up once more and the field was brought down pit road.

Chances aren’t much better for tomorrow, though, with the chance of rain set to remain above 50% for most of the day, according to AccuWeather.

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 25: A genera view of snowfall at the track after a weather cancellation of practice and qualifying for the Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway on February 25, 2023 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

NASCAR already cancelled practice and qualifying earlier in the morning for both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series, scheduled throughout the day on Saturday, due to the weather.

The qualifying format for both series has been determined, as per the NASCAR rule book, by the fastest lap time position (15%), driver’s final race position (25%), owner’s final race position (25%), and owner’s points position (35%) after last week’s Daytona 500; a system familiar to fans from the pandemic years.

The top two from last Saturday’s Xfinity Series season opener will start from the front row in Sunday evenings race, with Austin Hill on the pole and Daytona runner-up John Hunter Nemechek beside him.

Christopher Bell will start from the pole position in Sunday’s Cup race, with Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. beside him. On the reverse end, because of poor performance in last Sunday’s Daytona 500, the cars of Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick to positions 31 through 35, respectively.

For the Xfinity Series, that means that Garrett Smithley and Ryan Vargas will not race, being the thirty-ninth and fortieth entrants respectively. Austin Hill will lead the field to green.

All of the 36 entrants on the Cup side will make the field. Christopher Bell will start from pole position.

Owen Johnson